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SADC leaders losing patience
15/03/2007 18:04 - (SA)
Johannesburg - African leaders, for so long reluctant to speak out about the crisis in Zimbabwe, are finally running out of patience with President Robert Mugabe over fears of being tainted by the fallout.
As images of a badly beaten opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai led the news bulletins in neighbouring South Africa, Pretoria finally abandoned its 'quiet diplomacy' on Tuesday by urging Mugabe to respect the rights of the opposition.
A similar rebuke came across Zimbabwe's northern border when Zambian leader Levy Mwanawasa voiced his "concern", adding that "when the economy of Zimbabwe coughs ours also coughs" in reference to the 1 730% inflation rate.
The barbs stop far short of the outright condemnation heard from the likes of Washington and London, but nevertheless indicate leaders are distancing themselves from a man who was once regarded as a liberation hero.
"African leaders understand that Mugabe has become a bloody embarrassment and has gone past his sell-buy date," said Hussein Solomon, a professor at Pretoria's centre for international political studies.
Comments by South Africa's deputy foreign minister Aziz Pahad, urging Harare to respect the rights of "all Zimbabweans and (party) leaders" came hours after the US ambassador to Pretoria condemned the so-far muted response.
"We are disappointed we have not heard from many of the SADC (Southern African Development Community) countries speaking out about it and taking some action because the people of Zimbabwe are suffering," said ambassador Eric Bost.
But even before the events of the weekend, when Tsvangirai and dozens of his supporters were rounded up while trying to attend an anti-government rally, there were signs Mugabe was being cut loose.
'It serves no one if they stay in power'
Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba made a clear dig at Mugabe during a state banquet for the Zimbabwean leader last month by urging him to "reenergise efforts to strengthen democratic governance and the rule of law".
And asked about Mugabe and other veteran African leaders at a conference on democracy here last week, African Union Commission president Alpha Oumar Konare pointedly said that "it serves no one if they stay in power for 30 years".
According to Zwelethu Jolobe, an Africa expert at Cape Town University, Mugabe has become "a clear liability to anyone associated with him".
"People are getting to see that having Mugabe as an ally damages your reputation internationally. The sad thing is that it has taken people ten years to realise this and only when things have gone too far."
South Africa has previously insisted the problems of Zimbabwe should be resolved among the Zimbabwe people but the stance has been heavily criticised.
A cartoon in Johannesburg's The Star newspaper on Wednesday showed President Thabo Mbeki sitting smugly in an armchair with a pipe, saying: "Bob old chap, I don't mean to interrupt, but ... um ... when you do have a minute..." as Mugabe truncheons Tsvangirai.
'Too much of an over-emphasis'
Jolobe said the South African government had had to rethink its insistence Zimbabwe should be left to sort out its disagreements as it became clear Mugabe had few qualms about how he treated his opponents.
"I think that perhaps there was too much of an over-emphasis that the Zimbabweans can sort out their own issues and not a realisation that the balance of power within Zimbabwe is that the people cannot do it themselves.
"For the people of Zimbabwe to fully realise their rights and enjoy the kind of rights that we enjoy, we also have to assist in the process."
Hussein said however that talk of a South African u-turn was overstated and noted that its reaction was still "quite limp" and illustrated Pretoria's failure to exert influence.
"They are embarrassed but they don't know how to it admit it."
- AFP
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